Combined greeting card and container



March 14, 19M. JJM. LANEJE EZ MAW COMBINED GREETING CARD AND CONTAINERFiled April '21, 1945 3 sheeis haa March 14, 1944. J LANDE 2,344,437

COMBINED GREETING CARD AND CONTAINER Filed April 21, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENT 2 f? BY 5 ,4 /5 w m v March 14, 1944. I LANDE 2,344,437

COMBINED GREETING CARD AND CONTAINER Filed April 21, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet5 INVENTOR.

z I 4 BY y/Az M atented l, ltd

2,344,437 cornea onnn'rino cane AND oonramnn 8 (Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in greeting cards,and has for its principal object the provision of a novel card formedfrom a single blank of material and having a plurality of hinged leaves,all movable about a common axis, which leaves, however, are of differingsizes and shapes, thus giving a very novel effect when such leaves, eachhaving appropriate greetings, word messages or suitable designs thereon,are turned, one by one, by the recipient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel greeting cardformed from a single rectangular blank which is folded and is out alongcertain transverse and longitudinal lines, and which may be formedeither into a unique greeting card having a plurality of messages on thesuccessive pages thereof, or be formed into a novel container orbox-like structure adapted to hold one or more articles, the containerlikewise having the function of a greeting card.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination structureof the character described which may be easily and readily folded eitherinto the greeting card structure with a plurality of hinged leaves, orthe combined greeting-card container, and which requires no more paperor other material than. the usual greeting card.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel containerpartaking of the char= acter of a greeting card which is formed with aplurality of flaps, the first two of which give the recipient the ideathat the container is in the nature of a book, and after turning thefirst page will desire to turn the second, etc.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is also a perspective view with the con tainer in partly openedposition.

Fig. 3 is another perspective view showing the container insubstantially unfolded position.

Fig. 4 shows an alternate means of folding the blank when the article isto be used as a greeting card only,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank used in forming the combined greetingcard and container of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the presentinvention when arranged as a container.

- up in several independent sections joined by an elongated blanlr ortape.

Fig, 14 is a perspective view of a container tive internal area of thecontainer.

Fig. 15 shows a plan view of the blank. used in forming the container ofFig. 14.

The article forming the present invention is made from agenerally-rectangular blank or" flexible material, such as paper,cardboard, or the like. This blank is shown in Fig. 5 and includes alongitudinally-disposed line of fold it, which is substantially in thecenter of the blank, and another line of fold it parallel therewith andspaced therefrom. The blank is further formed with three transverselines of fold l2, l3 and it, thus forming a plurality of rectangular,longitudinally-disposed portions iii, ii, iii and iii which form theside walls of the device when used as a container. on each side of foldlines it and i i. fold lines l2, l3 and it are out, as shown at 2!, 22and 23, thus forming blank portions 25, 2B, 2? and 23 which constitutethe lower wall-form ing flaps of the device when used as a container,and also portions 3t, 3t, 32 and 33 which constitute the upperwall-forming flaps. In the preferred form, alternate flaps it and 32 areshorter than flaps ill and 33, thus providing a generally rectangularcontainer. If all four of these flaps are square and oi the same size,the result will he a square container.

The inner surface of portion it (Fig. 3) may have secured thereto ashort length oi trans parent adhesive tape of the type which may besecured to a surface, such as paper, and then be removed without leavingany deposit of adhesive. Tape 35 may initially be folded over thetransparent and unobtrusive. Tape 35 may, if desired, be eliminated, andan integrally-formed tab or tongue provided, one surface of the tab ortongue being adhesive.

If the blank is to be used as a container, that portion of the tapeoverlying the outer surface of the portion I6 is stripped from suchsurface so that it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3. This free tabis now joined to the inner surface of the outer terminal of portion l9at the opposite end of the blank, thus forming the four side walls ofthe container, so that they occupy the position shown in Fig. 2. Lowerflaps 25 and 21 are next folded inwardly and then flaps 25 and 28 arefolded inwardly thus completing the lower wall of the box.

The particular dimensions of the box are a matter of choice, as will beappreciated. In one embodiment of the invention the box may be soproportioned as to snugly receive four packages of cigarettes ofconventional size. After the contents are placed in the container upperflaps 30 and 32 are folded inwardly, then flap 33 and finally flap 3|Flap 3|, which is the top cover desirably has on its outer surface asuitable word message of the kind ordinarily associated with greetingcards and may contain some reference to the occasion for the greeting.For instance in Fig. 1 the words "Happy birthday" are printed whichconveys to the recipient the thought that some appropriate birthdaygreeting is contained within the package. On the opposite side of thispage or flap are the words Greeting" and other appropriate wordmessages. The outer surface of flap 33 may have some design thereon andother greeting indicia may be printed or otherwise inscribed onsuccessive flaps of the blank on its outer surface.

If the novel container of the present invention is to be sent by mailafter the desired contents are placed therein it may simply be insertedin a mailing container of appropriate size. If desired, the outer flaps,both upper and lower, of the greeting container may be sealed as by theuse of a transparent adhesive tape of the same type as that shown at 85.

If the blank is to be used as a greeting card only, it may be folded asfollows. The upper half of the blank is folded over the lower half alongtransverse fold line |3,and then the upper portion of such upper halfthen folded upwardly along fold line 4. The blank will then occupysubstantially the position shown in Fig. 3. The lower portion of thelower half is now folded upwardly along crease line l2, and the entireblank then folded along longitudinal fold line H], thus forming thestructure shown in Fig. 4. The uppermost flap has the greeting indiciaon both sides thereof and is the first one to be opened. The successiveflaps may also have appropriate greeting indicia, and thefact that thesesuccessive flaps are of differing sizes and their upper and lower edgesare not aligned gives the greeting card a distinctly novel appearanceand effect. Another method of folding the blank for greeting cardpurposes consists in first folding the lower section upwardly along foldline It, then folding the upper half of the blank downwardly over thelower half along fold line l3, and then folding the upper portion ofthis upper half upwardly along fold line I4. Then the blank is foldedalong longitudinal fold line it, which produces an attractive result,particularly in that the tongue or tab is not visible when the cardisopened along fold line ill.

The blank forming the modified embodiment of the invention, shown inFig. 11, is also generally rectangular in shape, and is formed with twospaced, longitudinal fold lines 40 and 4|, and three unequally spaced,transverse fold lines 42, 43 and 44, thus dividing the blank into sidewall sections 45, 46, 41 and 48 when the blank is used as a container.On each side of longitudinal fold lines 40 and 4|, the blank is outalong lines in alignment with transverse fold lines 42, 43 and 44, thusforming flaps 49, 50', 5| and 52 which form the lower flaps when used asa container, and also flaps 53, 54, 55 and 56 which form the upper flapswhen used as a container. Flap 55 has a cut-away section, indicated at51. The blank is further formed with a transverse fold line 58 inalignment with the edge formed by cut-out section 51.

If the upper end of the blank is now folded along fold line 44downwardly over the balance of the blank, and the lower end of the blankfolded along fold line 42 over the balance of the blank, it will occupysubstantially the position shown in Fig. 10. A short piece of gummedpaper or other similar material 60 is now used to join sections 45 and48 together. If the embodiment is to be used as a container, the fourside wall sections 45, 46, 41 and 48 will be positioned to occupy agenerally rectangular relationship, and the lower flaps 49, 50, 5| and52 are moved inwardly so that they occupy the position shown in Fig. 8.The upper flaps 53, 54, 55 and 56 may then be folded inwardly and thecontainer will be in closed position, as shown in Fig. 7.

In the event, however, that the embodiment is to be used as a greetingcard, the blank may 00- cupy the position shown in Fig. 10, and theupper section folded along fold line 58, and finally folded along foldline 4|. The blank will then occupy the position shown in Fig. 9 whereinflap 54 occupies the uppermost position and forms a cover for the entiregreeting card. Flap 53 will be the next page of the greeting card, andit will be noted that this page is of lesser length than the first page,although its lower edge coincides with the lower edge of the first page.Flaps 56 and 55 constitute the third and fourth pages, and these pagesare of the same size as flap 53, although in this instance their upperedges are in alignment with the upper edge of flap 54. In thisembodiment, flaps 5|, 52, 49 and 50, respectively, follow. It will beseen from an examination of Figs. 8 and 10 that if the blank is to befolded as a container, the gummed strip 60 serves to retain the oppositeends of the blank together, and that if it is to be folded as a greetingcard, it is not necessary to remove strip 60. In other words, theopposite ends of the blank may always be joined by this strip or otherequivalent means, and the blank folded as a greeting card or as acontainer without breaking any joint, or without making any other changeor alteration whatsoever, and once folded as a greeting card, it maythereafter be folded as a container and vice versa. This is an importantfeature of all of the possible embodiments of the present invention. Noparticular reeting indicia is shown on the several pages of the greetingcard, which also form the flaps when used as a container, although itwill be appreciated that such indicia is a matter of choice and may bearranged generally in the same manner as that shown in Figs. 1-4,inclusive.

This modified form of the invention lends itself very well to thecombined container of Fig. 7 and to the greeting card of Fig. 9,particularly since the uppermost page 54 and the lowermost page 50 arethe largest in size, and all of the other and smaller pages arecompletely enclosed by, and do not extend beyond, these cover pages.This embodiment of the invention may also be v modified considerablywithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

One of the principal advantages of the modified embodiment illustratedin Figs. 711, inclusive, resides in the fact that the opposite terminalsof the blank may be joined together as by the adhesive tape 68, or bythe integrally-formed tongue or tab, and the article then used either asa greeting card or as a container by folding the same as described, inthe case of the greeting card, or by setting the blank up, in the caseof the container. In other words, the finished embodiment joined in themanner shown in Fig. 10 is in the nature of a sleeve which can be packedand sold flat, and folded or set up at will. In the event that all ofthe flaps are substantially square rather than alternate square andreotangular, as shown in .Fig. 11, the blank may terminate at its upperend along fold line 58. In this embodiment, also, the transverse lineslying on each side of the longitudinal fold lines 48 and ii may beperforated rather than out through, thus permitting a box of any desiredheight to be utilized.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 12 is similar to thatshown in Fig. 10 in that the blank 88 has the centrally disposed,longitudinal fold line M, the second longitudinal fold line 62, and thesections 83, 84, 65, 66, 81, 68, 88 and 10. Each of these sections,however, is substantially square rather than the alternate square andrectangular sections shown in Fig. 3. When this embodiment of theinvention is folded into a booklet or greeting card, the respectivepages are all substantially square, and accordingly are not offset asare the pages illustratedin Fig. 3. When the upper portion of thisbooklet, i. e., that portion lying above fold line H, is foldeddownwardly over the lower portion, section 83 will constitute the outerpage and sections 66, 65, and 66 the next three pages. The remainingpages may be folded along fold line 62.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 13, the blank is formed in aplurality of sections M, 15, 16 and 11, which are joined by elongatedblank or tape 18, which may have an adhesive surface or may be otherwisesecured to these blank sections, and may also be-provided with anextension 18 which serves the same purpose as the tab 35 shown in Fig.3.

The blank 8! shown in Fig. is somewhat similar to the blank shown inFig. 11, and has the longitudinal fold lines 82 and 83, and thetransverse fold lines 86 which are cut through, or perforated, onopposite sides of longitudinal fold lines 82 and 83. Lateral sections 85and 86 may have a plurality of fold lines 81, thus forming portions 88,89 and 90. When this blank is assembled into the container shown in Fig.14, sections 88 and 89 are folded inwardly, thus forming an internalplatform which reduces the area of the inner portion of the container.If desired, sections 85 and 85 may have only a single fold line, andwhen this blank is formed into a container, there will be provided aplurality of compartments separated by walls and 27', as shown in Fig.6.

It will be apparent that many other changes and modifications may bemade in the foregoing invention without departing from the spiritthereof, as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A greeting card formed from a generally rectangular blank having apair of spaced. longit dinally-disposed fold lines substantially in thecenter thereof, and three unequally spaced, transverse fold linesbetween such longitudinal fold lines, each side of the blank being outalong lines forming extensions of the transverse fold lines, the blankbeing folded along the central transverse fold line and folded along thetwo remaining transverse fold lines, and then folded along one of saidlongitudinal fold lines, thus forming a booklet with a plurality ofoffset pages, and greeting indicia contained on a plurality of saidpages.

2. A greeting card formed from a generally rectangular blank having apair of spaced, substantially centrally-positioned,longitudinally-disposed fold lines, and a plurality of spaced,transverse fold lines between such longitudinal field lines, each sideof the blank being out along lines forming extensions of the transversefold lines, the blank being folded along the central transverse foldline and folded again along the remaining transverse fold lines, andthenfolded along one of said longitudinal lines, thus forming abooklet witha plurality of pages, and greeting indicia contained on a plurality ofsaid pages.

3. A combined greeting card and container formed from a generallyrectangular blank having a pair of spaced. substantiallycentrally-positioned, longitudinally-disposed fold lines, and aplurality of spaced, transverse fold lines between such longitudinalfold lines, each side of the blank being out. along lines formingextensions of the transverse fold lines, the blank being folded alongthe central-transverse fold line and folded again along the remainingtransverse fold lines, and then folded along one of said longitudinallines, thus forming a booklet with a plurality of pages, word indiciacontained on a plurality of said pages, and means joining the oppositeends of the blank together between the iongitudinal fold lines, wherebythe blank may be alternately folded to form a container wherein theportions of the blank lying between the longitudinal fold lines form theside walls of the container, and the portions lying on opposite sides ofsuch fold lines form the upper and lower walls, respectively. of thecontainer.

4. A combined booklet and container formed from a generally rectangularblank having a plurality of spaced,longitudinally-disposed fold lines,one of such fold lines being at the center of the blank, and a pluralityof spaced, transverse fold lines between such longitudinal fold lines,each side of the blank being out along lines forming extensions of thetransverse fold lines, the blank being folded along the centraltransverse fold line and folded again along the remaining transversefold lines, and then folded along the central longitudinal lines, thusforming a booklet the longitudinal fold lines form the side walls of thecontainer, and the portions lying on opposite sides of such fold linesform the upper and lower walls, respectively, of the container.

5. A combined booklet and container formed from a generally rectangularblank having a substantially centrally-positioned, longitudinal foldline, and another longitudinal fold line spaced therefrom, and aplurality of spaced, transverse fold lines between such longitudinalfold lines, each side of the blank being out along lines forminggenerally square extensions of the transverse fold lines, the blankbeing folded along the centra1 transverse fold line and folded againalong the remaining transverse fold lines, and then folded along one ofsaid longitudinal lines, thus forming the booklet with a plurality ofpages, word indicia contained on a plurality of said pages, and meansJoining the opposite ends of the blank togethe between th longitudinalfold lines, whereby the blank may be alternately folded to form acontainer wherein the portions of the blank lying between thelongitudinal fold lines form the side walls of the container, and theportions lying on opposite side of such fold lines form the upper andlower walls, respec tively, of the container.

6. A combined greeting card and container formed from a generallyrectangular blank having a pair of spaced, longitudinally-disposed foldlines substantially in the center thereof, and three unequally spaced,transverse fold lines between such longitudinal fold lines, each side ofthe blank being out along lines forming extensions of the transversefold lines, the blank being folded along th central transverse fold linand folded along the two remaining transverse fold lines, and thenfolded along one of said longitudinal fold lines, thus forming a bookletwith a plurality of ofiset pages, Word indicia contained on a pluralityof said pages, and means joining the oppoosite ends of the blanktogether between the iongitudinal fold lines, whereby the blank may bealternately folded to-form a container wherein the portions of the blanklying between the 1ongitudinal fold lines form the side walls of thecontainer, and the portions lying on opposite sides of such fold linesform the upper and lower walls, respectively, of the container.

'7. A combined booklet and container formed from a generally rectangularblank having a pair of spaced, longitudinally-disposed fold lines, one

assets? of such fold lines being substantially at the center thereof,and three unequally spaced, transverse fold lines between suchlongitudinal fold lines, each side of the blank being cut along linesforming extensions of the transverse fold lines, the blank being foldedalong the central transverse fold line and then folded along the tworemaining transverse fold lines, and folded again along the centrallongitudinal fold line, thus forming the booklet with a plurality ofoffset pages, word indicia contained on a plurality of said pages, andmeans joining the opposite ends of the blank together between thelongitudinal fold lines, whereby the blank may be altemately folded toform a container wherein the P 1- tions of the blank lying between thelongitudinal told lines form the side walls of the container, and theportions lying on opposite sides of such fold lines form the upper andlower walls, respectively, of the container.

8. A combined booklet and container formed from a plurality of generallyrectangular blanks having a plurality of spaced fold lines therein, oneof such fold lines being substantially in the center of each blank,means comprising an elongated blank joining said rectangular blankstogether along the portions of such blanks lying between the fold lines,thus forming an articulated blank with transversely-disposed,generally-rectangular sections lying on opposite sides of the elongatedblank, the articulated blank having a plurality of transverse fold linesaligned with the edges of the individual blanks, the articulated blankbeing folded along the centra1 transverse fold line and folded along thetwo remaining transverse fold lines, and then folded along the centrallongitudinal fold line, thus forming a booklet with a plurality ofpages, word indicia contained on a plurality of said pages, and meansjoining the opposite ends of the blank together between the longitudinalfold lines, whereby the blank may be alternately folded to form acontainer wherein the portions of the blank lying between thelongitudinal fold. lines formthe side walls of the container, and theportions lying on opposite sides of such fold lines form the upper andlower Walls, respectively, of the container.

JULIUS lVL LANDE.

